What They Don’t Tell You About Study Abroad

The comments I got when I told someone I was planning to study abroad were always the same. “It’s gonna be the time of your life and a chance to discover yourself. You’ll make a bundle of new friends and eat delicious food.” Sounds like all rainbows and kittens, right?

As I made the trek from Santa Clara, California to Milan, Italy just over a month ago, I was ecstatic. I had never been to Europe, and based on the massive amount of hype created by the abroad program and older students, I intended to come home a changed man.

But, what I’ve found in my first few weeks here has been a bit of a different story. Studying abroad can be lonely, unhealthy, confusing and expensive, and it's important to realize this when deciding to do so.

To maximize this adventure, you have to actively socialize and venture into new experiences—otherwise, you'll be left isolated in the quiet of your room.

The first challenge upon moving in was finding somewhere to fit in. I was told tales like “You’re gonna meet so many lifelong friends!” or “I met my wife abroad!” so naturally I planned to fall right into place.

Now, these claims aren’t entirely inaccurate, as everyone is quite outgoing. Being plopped into a new environment with a bunch of strangers your age tends to bring that out of people. I was able to make a few friends to walk around with and I had a couple from SCU with me to cushion my experience, yet there were many days I would find myself sitting alone in my empty-walled bedroom wondering what to do. Sure, I could’ve asked a friend out for coffee or dinner, but, for whatever reason, I felt a bit nervous to do so.

I quickly realized that relying so much on the expectation of easily making friends and creating a packed schedule allowed me not to put much effort into making these things a reality.

Don’t forget about your nutrition.

A huge part of going abroad is to embrace the culture shock and immerse yourself in something new. I was quite excited to eat the pizza, pasta and gelato Italy is known for, but I also hoped to keep it relatively healthy as part of my quest to become a gym bro.

I quickly learned, however, that the Italian lifestyle does not account for being healthy. Every day, the common Italian breakfast consists of a croissant and a coffee, and the meals following consist of all carbs with an occasional sprinkle of protein—a few shreds of the fattiest, saltiest meats possible.

And to wash down all that salt, you can pay more for a glass of water than you would a glass of wine!

For dessert? Gelato paired with a pack of cigarettes.

Stay alert—don’t let your life be run by a pocket computer.

Right off the bat, I was dealing with trams, buses and the metro. Having spent the whole summer commuting daily on the Bart from Santa Clara to San Francisco, I was quite confident in my public transportation fluency. Oh, how wrong I was.

In attempting to arrive at my school for the first time in Italy, I found myself relying on Apple Maps like a common American tourist. Apple Maps, however, relays incorrect arrival times for all of the transportation methods I listed—a fact I found out too late. So, I found myself arriving thirty minutes late after a long walk in the pouring rain. Definitely not the best first impression, I assure you.

Don’t expect abroad to be a cheap experience in the slightest.

“Everything in Italy is so cheap!” they said. This, to a degree, is true. I was amazed to see coffee on the menu for a whopping $1.50, a substantial drop from my $6 Starbucks order. Yet this drop also applies to the volume, as I was handed a shot of espresso, which, if you are unfamiliar, is a bitter, singular sip of coffee.

Now, imagine getting a whole pizza for just $7, but it's mainly bread. Granted, the pizzas are quite filling for the price, but remember–don't expect any protein on it.

“The flights between European countries are so cheap, you can go everywhere!” This is true in comparison to the average flight in the States. Going home from California to Missouri usually costs me a couple hundred bucks. But, keep in mind that traveling every other weekend to a different country adds up quickly, especially with housing accommodations and food to think about. A month in and my bank account has never seen such pain.

Despite these challenges, studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and can be as great as you make it. A month has certainly shown me some of the bad but also a lot of the unforgettable experiences that I always heard about.

So, not to sound like those I’ve condemned here, but you definitely ought to try it. Just don’t be like me and come a bit more prepared.